knitting handbook

knitting handbook

Discussion and analysis of the contemporary issue - - The Ethics of Belief, by W.K. Clifford (1845-1879) -- in Chapter II of Burr’s work

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Clifford’s discussion starts with a metaphorical example of a shipowner who was about to send to sea an emigrant ship. He knew about the several limitations of that ship, becoming unhappy, because he could refit it, but he would certainly expend a lot. After all, he thought about the builders of the ship and the vessels, watching her departure with a light heart, and benevolent wishes for the success of the exiles of this strange new home that was to be, getting his insurance money when she went down in midocean and told no tales (Clifford 170). This short plot will help us to illustrate the subject as we analyze and comment in the following paragraphs, starting with the answer of the author’s question: “What shall we say of him”(170)?

Firstly, there’s a possibility to find several answers, because personal judgement depends on people’s personal beliefs, but, as society is the amount of individual consciousness, we easily conclude that the theory of result is the best one to be put in focus. If for any reason any of us

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But this is not the case here. Financial interest was over anyone’s interest to use such a service, and the owner did not think seriously about the result even being sane. As Clifford passes a judgement: “He had no right to believe on such evidence as was before him”(170).

The second position is the hypothesis that “the ship was not unsound after all: that she made her voyage safely, and many others after it”(171). And the question is if that condition would diminish the guilt of the owner, what Clifford answers negatively justifying his answer by saying that “when an action is once done, it is right or wrong forever: no accidental failure of its good or evil fruits can possibly alter that”(171). It depends on personal belief.

Then, Clifford reports another story that is concerned about a certain religion that did not teach the doctrine of original sin nor of eternal punishment. Some people got injured with the fact and asked a commission to investigate that community, and the story ends with the assumption that they were all innocent. And Clifford’s judgement is that “...they had no right to believe on such evidence as was before them, and their mistake was to listen to the voice of prejudice and passion” (171). He suggests us to imagine that the commission had considered the community, guilt. And then, the conclusion that he had nourished a belief, when he had no right to believe on such evidence as was before him; and therein he would know that he had done a wrong thing. Evidence is necessary, before anyone attacks people based on personal convictions.

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His suggestion is that we have to analyze things by seeing both sides, so that we can make some justice. As he comments:

“No man holding a strong belief on one side of a question or even wishing to hold a belief on one side, can investigate it with such fairness and completeness as if he were

really in doubt and unbiased; so that the existence of a belief not found on fair inquiry unfits a man for performance of this necessary duty”(172).

His discussion that if we don’t solve questions by establishing a belief, we always have a second moment for that, and it gets aggregated, and ““... every new addition modifies the structure of the whole”. His most beautiful conclusion is that ... “for good or ill, is woven every belief of every man who has speech of his fellows. An awful privilege, and an awful responsibility, that we should help to create the world in which posterity will live”” (172).

The main reason pointed by the author is that... “The belief held by one man, however seemingly trivial the belief, and however obscure the believer, is ever actually insignificant or without its effect on the fate of mankind, we have no choice but to extend our judgement to all cases of belief whatever. One should ask how our thoughts are organized in order to have faculties. Belief, that sacred faculty which prompts the decisions of our will, and knits into harmonious working all the compacted energies of our being, is ours not for ourselves, but for humanity. If we have supposed ourselves to know all about anything, and to be capable of doing what is fit in regard to it, we naturally do not like to find that we are really ignorant and powerless, that we have to begin again at the beginning and try to learn what the thing is and how it is to be dealt with - - if indeed anything can be learned about it. It is the sense of power attached to a sense of knowledge that makes men desirous of believing, and afraid of doubting” (173).

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The key word for this study is investigation. “It is not the risk only, which has to be considered; for a bad action is always bad at the time when it is done, no matter what happens afterwards. Every time we let ourselves believe for unworthy reasons, we weaken our power of self-control, of doubting, of judicially and fairly weighing evidence” (174).

“What hurts society is not that it should lose its property, but that it should become a den of thieves; for then it must cease to be society”(174). “What I believe leads to habitual want of care in others about the truth in my mind when I myself am careless about it, when I believe things because I want to believe them, and because they are comforting and pleasant” (174)?

“It is wrong always, everywhere, and for anyone to believe anything upon insufficient evidence” (175). The problem one could suggest to be analyzed is the “horror of doubt” (175). Inquiry is the way, no matter it can be insufficient (175). The author finishes his analysis by commenting a businessman’s behavior - - I have no time to think about it. - - Then, he shall have no time to believe...(175)

All this discussion and evidences make us emerging to deep reflection, but there’s nothing more obvious than the desire to prove the existence of God. There’s a moment in everyone’s life where his presence is noticed, no matter how atheist anyone can be. And where are the evidences? Is it necessary to discuss about it? Or do we all need the “epiphany” moment in our lives to accept superior energies exist? William James as Burr reports, argues that belief without evidence is sometimes justified (Burr 119). A good example is the fact that took place in Sao Paulo, Brazil, some days ago. Thousands of people adored an image that appeared in a piece of glass from a window of a very simple house. Everybody believed that it was the Virgin Saint Mary in one apparition. Scientists were asked to come an explain, why the image did not disappear even if the glass was cleaned. But even with scientific explanations, people still believed it was the Mother Saint Mary, trying to send a message, standing in front of the house for hours, during so many days.

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Clifford argues that it is always wrong to believe anything without evidence since such a belief could either produce some harm or lead the holder to accept too readily other unsupported and potentially harmful beliefs (Burr 119). If, for any reason people believe in apparitions of Saints and religious myths, there are also those ones who believe the devil can appear. By searching on line pictures about the tragedy of September 11th, in the USA, the face of the devil was shown, coming from the fire. So, what is truth if not what I want to see? The relevance of belief should be considered mainly because of the results of successive actions coming from a certain evidence in accordance with the interpretation people can express based on their point of view, in a certain moment and time, and how this belief will be accepted by the others, provoking a chain of decisions, sometimes taken deliberately. That’s what Burr, is suggesting, if there are any areas outside of religion where one should believe without evidence. Sure, there is. Destiny. We all have to behave normally causing no pain, no hurt, no sadness, and no harm to anyone. Behaviorism is a vast area of studies so that life in this planet should be much more just and calm. The problem of humans’ dissatisfaction, and crescent desire of development have put us in a condition of slavery of our own ideas, and necessities, by the controlling ideologies of groups, States, religious, and speeches. The guidance of our actions depends on a global conscious of serious miserable conditions of humans, while too much money is being put in “extravaganzas”. And the language of money is imposing cruelty rather than rights. We can only do, what our money let us doing. And for a packet of cigarettes someone kills another. This horror is worst than D’day. What belief are we talking about? When is God called to help? In the middle of a war? In the middle of the streets of any megalopolis? If, for any reason, belief is necessary, why not start to develop a basic lesson in this attempt, which is confidence.

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The relativity of evidences sometimes makes people taking wrong decisions and being cruel with the others. Have you ever heard any of these statements? You’re good, but not good enough! There’s someone better than you are! You are not making justice to what you are being given. This is not good for you! Or, This is good for you! Why not good for us? Good for the humanity. Why everybody has to pass their judgements so fast about facts they do not know about, even when they are not asked to? Or when they are asked, they do not say what we want to listen. People give opinions based on self-evidences, on self-beliefs. Individuality is over any other question a milestone of character and personality, but it’s not possible to think about a body without starting with the cell, a society, without one individual person. It takes time for a little spermatozoid, to find his /her rote in order to find the ovule, but this miracle is the most beautiful evidence one can face. That the Genesis of life took a long time to be objectively understood and seen to the point of clone, no matter life has been a belief for centuries, is a good example that truth depends on evidences and clarifications. And individually, life is limited by the condition of time, but not of a whole society, a whole planet, which was chosen in the Universe, with the miracle of life, even if this evidence took centuries to be accepted. Life has been the greatest challenge for all of us. And unhappy, it becomes evident by so many ones, who die everyday. That’s something to think about while we have the time. Better than having nothing to think about, even having a long time to do so. That’s the reason we all should live for. Take our time, to understand the reasons we’re here, in such a blessed condition of a human creature, and how the world gets different with our limited presence. We will all leave it! With debits, or credits?

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Gods and religious are, but any of them will exist after the passage. So, what are they all for?

This question is a good reason for any of us live the whole life. Maybe, no answer will be found. The other side of life remains in secret. This is the other “half” of the enigma. We hope not forever. Maybe a new direction for the planet can be given if the answer is found. For instance, we are not so far anymore. As Nagel comments: “If life is not real, life is not earnest, and the grave is its goal, perhaps it’s ridiculous to take ourselves so seriously”(Nagel 101).

Maybe, it is about to come a new one. Another reason to live in peace. No religious will teach the opposite, or else it’s not religious. Something to believe, until we prove the opposite. My last reason before finishing such a relevant reflection, but not the least. Ethic, isn’t it?

Works Cited

Gibaldi, Joseph. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, New York:

Modern Language Association, USA, 1988.

Goldinger, Milton. Philosophy and Contemporary Issues. University of Wisconsin Oshkosh,

1999.

Nagel, Thomas. What does it all mean? , Oxford University Press, New York, USA, 1987.

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